I will know at the end of the year if I’m becoming leaner or just lesser. I do know that I’m still growing stronger in my lifting.

So while I may not be as bulky, I may remain shapelier.

Weight through October 2013

Most days, my meals are routine and boring. Breakfast is a bowl of spinach spiked with flaxseed oil and lemon juice, along with a couple of hard-boiled eggs and lentils. I prepare meats in the slow cooker, and everything else from freezer or fridge to microwave oven.

On cheat days, I work on two things: Hitting my minimum requirement of protein, and eating as many calories as I can. I’m lucky if I can get near 4,000, but that’s actual work.

The freezer is stuffed with doughnuts, and I usually grab some junk food on Fridays in anticipation. I also get takeout on those Saturday cheat days, since I don’t have too many forbidden foods in the kitchen.

What hasn’t changed is my careful attention to numbers. I try to eat on schedule. I haven’t hit my old daily average of 2,100 calories, which is why I make up for it on Saturdays as best I can.

I don’t feel any different than before, and my food dreaming has stopped. It has been a fairly easy transition.

I look forward to the next 2 months to see how big a loser I can be.

•

October’s average workout time was 26 minutes and 18 seconds.

I averaged 1,899 calories a day in October. I also had 130 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $641.89 so far. I spent $8.16 more on food in October compared to previous monthly averages.

A little over a week ago, I reset my diet to lose as much fat as possible.

Two days ago, I ate like a pig.

Both steps are part of the master plan.

After a year of working on building muscle and gaining weight through advice in “The 4-Hour Body” [Amazon | iTunes aff. links], I have adjusted my goal. I’ve gained 10 pounds of muscle, but also 10 pounds of fat. This has elevated my body fat percentage to an even unhealthier level, 26.8 percent.

I wonder if I can reduce my body fat percentage to 15 percent while maintaining (or even growing) my muscles.

The biggest challenge has been trying to hit my daily minimum of 2,100 calories. I’m getting my 130g of protein each day, but eating enough broccoli or lentils for calories has been a chore. Usually, I’ll round it out with peanuts at day’s end (though I found out nuts should be limited to five to 10 daily).

(You’re not supposed to count calories on this diet, but I do so to make sure I’m getting sufficient food each day.)

The weirdest side effect: I now dream routinely about food. I’ll dream about eating chocolate cake, or rushing through a meal. It’s strange.

The cheat day was pretty easy.

I had three doughnuts and an orange. Plus a hot dog, bacon cheeseburger and half a bag of Doritos. And a slice of wild blueberry white chocolate cheesecake. I felt bad about going so low on protein, so I also had a baked chicken breast (not pictured). I ate myself sick.